Summer is Upon Us!

The temperature is going to be in the high 80’s and low 90’s this week and I have already picked out my pipes and cigars for the week. When it is humid out I like to smoke smaller cigars and pipes with smaller bowls. I feel like the shorter the smoke, the less chance of the tobacco becoming over-humidified. Nothing is worse than smoking over-humidified tobacco. It just doesn’t taste right and becomes very bitter to me. A few of my friends think I’m crazy, as they puff and puff away, not seeming to notice that they keep relighting, over and over.

My question for you, Talking Tobacco readers, does the humidity effect your enjoyment? I would love to hear what you have to say, and if you have tips for me, please feel free to post them.

The temperature and humidity don’t seem to affect me at all. My only change in routine is that when I’m outdoors, I like a lightweight pipe that doesn’t try to pry my teeth out, especially when I’m walking. I have some princes that are ideal for the purpose. As for the humidity of the tobacco, I have learned over the years to adjust unconsciously to the condition of the tobacco, pulling a bit faster when it’s moist and barely puffing at all if it’s dry. I have noticed that the quantity of smoke per puff is a good indicator of the proper speed. Too much smoke means too much heat and the danger of tongue bite. I love my pipe anywhere– indoors, outdoors, and especially when driving on road trips, where I measure the distance traveled by the number of bowls smoked. It’s more fun than an odometer!

I live in the Southeast, and the humidity does affect my smoke. I find that cobs seem to help somewhat, I try to smoke a different pipe for each bowl I smoke during the day, that way I can avoid a bitter, and drenched bowl.

I do notice a great difference in the way certain blends in certain pipes
smoke when the weather is warm and humid. They are not nearly as enjoyable as when it’s cool and dry. I reach for a smaller bowl or only fill a large bowl halfway with burleys and english in the warmer months and return to full size bowls with virginias and aromatics in the colder
months.

I don’t have much issue with smoking in warm, humid weather. I DO tend to lean towards sweeter, crisper blends, some type of VA or Va/Per though. If I need a good nicotine hit quick fast and in a hurry I just grab a small bowl and get the job done with Irish Flake, Bold Kentucky, or even C&D’s plain Dark Burley. A tobacco with some gulliunes, if ya know what I mean.
An issue I DO have in humid weather is getting my bowls to dry well after smoking. The cakes seems to get really soft and stays that way for days! A real pain in the arse. This is when I beat up my cobs a bit. I mean they really, lol, get disrespected in humid weather here in Rehoboth Beach, DE. But that’s their job right? Meers are out of the question . If I had a few clays I’d probably be using them a bit.

Where I live the humidity isnt so much the issue as just the boiling heat out. More of how much heat can i physically take rather then the effects to the pipe. In fact my pipe feels like it smokes so much cooler then ambient temp that i feel like i have air conditioning in my mouth! love the effect.